Physicians, total — all countries

Physicians, total — G20

Physicians, total in the G20 in 2023 — 8,523,272 people. Since 1992, the indicator has risen by 287.5%.

2023 8.52M people −11.83% vs 2022
World rank
Period maximum 9.67M people2022
Period minimum 2.2M people1992

Trend over time

1992–2023 · people

Physicians, total — G20, 1992–202302.5M5M7.5M10M1992199620002004200820122016202020231992: 2,199,509 people1993: 2,511,244 people1994: 2,771,277 people1995: 4,420,690 people1996: 4,750,910 people1997: 4,628,937 people1998: 5,034,178 people1999: 4,800,424 people2000: 4,879,334 people2001: 4,735,485 people2002: 4,856,410 people2003: 4,779,074 people2004: 5,148,501 people2005: 4,980,702 people2006: 5,377,610 people2007: 5,258,833 people2008: 5,722,072 people2009: 5,704,819 people2010: 6,136,570 people2011: 6,236,613 people2012: 6,507,610 people2013: 6,798,447 people2014: 6,899,972 people2015: 6,850,615 people2016: 7,328,395 people2017: 7,861,489 people2018: 8,170,040 people2019: 8,713,734 people2020: 8,842,958 people2021: 9,555,507 people2022: 9,666,796 people2023: 8,523,272 people
Change over the period: +6.32M (+287.51%) Average annual rate: 4.47 %
Physicians, total — G20, by year G20 All countries CSV XLSX
Year people Change Change, %
2023 8.52M −1.14M −11.83%
2022 9.67M +111,289 +1.16%
2021 9.56M +712,549 +8.06%
2020 8.84M +129,224 +1.48%
2019 8.71M +543,694 +6.65%
2018 8.17M +308,551 +3.92%
2017 7.86M +533,094 +7.27%
2016 7.33M +477,780 +6.97%
2015 6.85M −49,357 −0.72%
2014 6.9M +101,525 +1.49%
2013 6.8M +290,837 +4.47%
2012 6.51M +270,997 +4.35%
2011 6.24M +100,043 +1.63%
2010 6.14M +431,751 +7.57%
2009 5.7M −17,253 −0.3%
2008 5.72M +463,239 +8.81%
2007 5.26M −118,777 −2.21%
2006 5.38M +396,908 +7.97%
2005 4.98M −167,799 −3.26%
2004 5.15M +369,427 +7.73%
2003 4.78M −77,336 −1.59%
2002 4.86M +120,925 +2.55%
2001 4.74M −143,849 −2.95%
2000 4.88M +78,910 +1.64%
1999 4.8M −233,754 −4.64%
1998 5.03M +405,241 +8.75%
1997 4.63M −121,973 −2.57%
1996 4.75M +330,220 +7.47%
1995 4.42M +1.65M +59.52%
1994 2.77M +260,033 +10.35%
1993 2.51M +311,735 +14.17%
1992 2.2M

About the indicator

The number of practicing physicians, from the WHO Global Health Observatory. The World Bank republishes only the density — physicians per thousand people — so the absolute number is available directly from WHO alone. Physicians of all specialties are counted, general practitioners and specialists included.

Important: The definition of a practicing physician differs across national registers: some countries include those working in administration and research. Physicians per thousand people is a separate indicator and suits comparison between countries better.

Source: Global Health Observatory (WHO), license CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO.